Just a gentle reminder to all– DON’T BLAST THE CAR HEATERS IN YOUR FACE ! I know it’s tempting, but it is what will most definitely dry out your skin the most quickly. And in this weather, you don’t want that ! It’s colder and colder and I know you’re all rushing to be warm, but it’s not gonna be worth it once your skin starts overproducing oil to compensate…. Breakouts are never fun. Especially when the breakouts are in the midst of dry, flaky skin. So, do yourself a favor, turn on the defroster instead (It heats up your car but doesn’t aim the warm air at you) and moisturize your face with a non-oil-based moisturizer.

If your skin is feeling really dry, do an oil-based, but be wary. The dry weather can make your skin overreact and you don’t wanna add to the buildup. Just be skin conscious and you’ll be fine !

As always, message me with questions, and good luck with finals and end-of-the-year tidings.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of this widely popular trend among adolescent and not-so-adolescent boys alike. Of course on some men we beg them not to (Patchy pieces of fur aren’t the most attractive), on some, a little facial hair does go a long way.

What’s important to remember– Don’t forget to wash your face!! Your skin is still producing oil and gathering dirt throughout the day, and just because hair can act as a barrier doesn’t mean it is. Clean your face, and when you do finally shave, of course remember to use a clean, sharp razor, shaving cream/gel/oil, and be sure to moisturize and use something with salicylic acid to combat ingrown hairs.

As of recent, we’ve started to feel a weather change–fall gusts of wind, the nighttime temperature drops, the overcast mornings which beg the aid of a down comforter and a mug of coffee, tea, hot chocolate; whatever works. And this feeling also brings an environmental change; cold air with the immediate aid of warm air (ie. The brisk walk to your car in the mornings, followed by a blast of heater air). Perhaps you have also begun to feel a familiar dryness in your skin, I know I have.

I urge everyone to take proactive steps to combat this before it really hits ! Thankfully we’ve had our warm pockets still, however those will get less and less frequent as the months wane on. I recommend Dermalogica’s “Skin Hydrating Booster” for this cold weather, as well as “Barrier Repair”, should you be in windier climates.

Infomercials. You can’t ever seem to get away from them. The awful “acting”, the overly enthused salesman, the products that appear to be able to make your life easier, but no one has them. Why is this?

Well, I have always been aware of these corporations extending their truths, but here is an example of false information. On national TV, (we are not naming names), it was stated that using any shampoo that “lathers” damages the hair. Clearly, this company was advertising a non-sulfate-non-lather shampoo. This “non-sulfate” trend has become hip as of recent, as many of the California-Vegan-Au-Naturale-Pop-Culture-Beatniks have protested the use of “chemicals” in their hair.

For years, the combination of Sulfate and Chloride together create a thick lather. Products such as JF Lazartigue states that they have never used Sodium Chloride as an ingredient, as this also fades color and breaks the bonds of keratin treatments. The use of Sulfate and Chloride also raises the pH of hair, to a generally “unhealthy” level. Conclusion: Don’t use products that combine Sulfates and Chlorides. A shampoo that aims to give the appearance of cleanliness through additional lather is clearly a ploy to socialize us, the consumers, to continue to purchase that product for that “squeaky-clean” feeling.

So, the company had an inkling of truth in their statement: Yes, a lather could be damaging to your hair, in terms of raising a pH level and/or drying out the follicle, however, not all lathering products contain Sulfate and Chloride. The statement was an overgeneralization, but we cannot point fingers.

Hair dressers should be aware of the information that is passed in media. The health craze of this generation is catering to our over-consumeristic tendencies, giving us something more to be frightened of. Although there may be truth in the center, we must take everything with a grain of salt.

As you know, So Cal is preparing for the big heat wave today. I myself experienced a sunburn/heat stroke/asthma attack. Ok, I might be over-exaggerating, but I swear to GOD I was dying. My friend and I decided to go on a hike last minute (Much to my dismay, I had zero sunscreen on me except for what I had applied on my face) and ended up hiking the Oak Park Mountains for FIVE HOURS. Burned on my arms and shoulders, though his were worse, I really should have prepared better ! And so should you.

Of course, the sun will be blaring down on us today and tomorrow (I’m heading to Reedley to see my grandparents– 104 degree weather, here I come), so PLEASE remember to keep applying !! You will thank yrself later!!!

For many of the years that I have been creating Hair Color, gold and warm tones were the challenge, clients considered these tones the enemy and would go to great lengths to eradicate them. Myself personally, I was always attracted to the gold in the hair color as it is very much apart of a well balanced hair color and used by design can provided a certain “sparkle”to the over all effect of the color canvas, which in turn enhances the complexion and over all facial appearance. In any case the client prevailed and Hairdressers pursued many avenues to loose any trace of gold gone. Products to achieve this mission were continually arriving on the scene to help balance the hair color and not have gold be the paramount color to distinguish the end result of the hair color design.

During the 1970’s Sebastian International was always on the leading edge with innovative hair products and education and at the same time was blazing a new trail with hair color, I was most fortunate to be on their Artistic Team and headed the Hair Color division of that Team. An even greater gift was given me, I was asked to develop “Crystal” a new Cellophane. I was sent to Sun Labs to work in Yorm Fishman’s Lab. Today that hair color, Crystal, still lives, and goes by the name of Pearl in the Cellophane line. Fast forward today a more educated Hairdresser as well as client have and desire a wide range of Hair Color that is desirable in the fashion world, from cool icy blondes, that can provide a brightness to your look, to gold, copper, bronzes and reds which can reflect color into the complexion, to medium to dark cool raven browns that can calm down unwanted warmth in the skin.

The Hair Color world today is so very exciting, there are no parameters.

The serious Hairdresser in conjunction with the guest constructs a product and paints it,

taking into consideration complexion, facial structure and personal taste, and naturally the hair color, its type and condition.